"It was miserable. After 32 hours, we found out if we loved each other or not."

-Matt Harrison, Texas pitcher, commenting on the 32-hour drive he, his wife and two dogs had getting to Surprise, Ariz., from their home in North Carolina. Harrison and his wife, Meghan, were married in December.
(Dallas Morning News)

"To me, the outfield is just something I go out and do. I've even told our managers, 'Look, I'm not an outfielder. I don't even know what I'm doing.' If I can run down and catch it, I catch it. And if I can't, then I play it on the hop and throw it to the right base."

-Willie Bloomquist, Kansas City utility player but infielder "at heart," describing how he goes about playing the outfield when asked to do so.
(MLB.com)

"Tamales. My mom makes them, and we go to town on them. Can't go wrong on Mama's food."

-Joel Zumaya, Tigers, explaining how he got down to 250 pounds in the offseason.
(Detroit News)

"That would be great for the kids. They can ask him questions on how he did it."

-Bucky Dent on finding out that Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla went to Dent's camp as a 13-year old. Uggla will make a guest appearance at the camp this summer.
(South Florida Sun-Sentinel)

"I'm comfortable playing the game. Obviously, you're going to be a little nervous when you get around some of these guys. You've got Lance Berkman sitting there. These guys are the best hitters in all the game. But it's good, because I can watch them, and I can learn from them and make myself better just watching."

"Doesn't matter if it's BP -- it's competition between you and the hitter. I mean, I don't like to lose in rock, paper, scissors, never mind live BP. I'm still working through some soreness as I continue to increase my effort level and workload, but I'm excited to be here and healthy and see where it takes me."

-Casey Janssen, Toronto pitcher, talking about his competitiveness on the field, which includes disliking players taking swings off him during live batting practice.
(Toronto Globe and Mail)

"I don't think any of us are reading anything into it. You have to set a rotation [for exhibition play] and that's what they came up with. It could go either way. I'm just working on my stuff and what I'm trying to accomplish. I could have the first start of the year, but anything could happen in Spring Training. There are a lot of ways to tweak it.
I'm just looking forward to getting out there, and I know everyone else is, too."

-Jeff Suppan, Brewers pitcher, commenting on how starting the first exhibition game of the season doesn't mean he is in line to start the season opener, though he was the Opening Day starter twice in his career with Kansas City.
(Toronto Star)

"He pitched well down the stretch and closed out the games he had to close out, and therefore he earned the spot to be our closer going into the season."

-Arizona manager Bob Melvin talking about Chad Qualls, who enters the season as the team's closer.
(Arizona Republic)

"I felt a little anxious and antsy out there, but my arm felt good."

-John Maine, Mets pitcher, talking about his first throwing session against hitters, the first time he has faced batters since Aug. 23. Maine missed the last month of the season due to a bone spur in his shoulder.
(Newsday)

"It's going to be good to get out there and see some guys from the other team for once. There are only so many inside fastballs you can throw to these guys. I don't want to bust a teammate up."

-Kyle Lohse, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher, anxious to get into some spring games and away from scrimmages.
(MLB.com)

"One thing I was impressed with was how he wasn't afraid to challenge hitters. Usually young guys come up, they try to fool big league hitters, throw the whole kitchen sink at them. He really kept it simple -- here's my fastball, see if you can hit it. He'd maybe throw a couple of sliders in there, but he just went after hitters, which I like. He's really got the arm for the job. I think he can sustain it."

-Joe Mauer, Twins catcher, revisiting the manner in which pitcher Jose Mijares went about his work when brought up to the Major Leagues last September.
(St. Paul Pioneer Press)

"I'm not opposed to playing here for the rest of my career, if it can work it out. If they were to approach me, I would take it very seriously. I would take a long look at it to stay here."

-Adam LaRoche, Pirates first baseman, on the possibility of finishing his career as a member of the Pirates.
(MLB.com)

"All my successful years [came] when I was playing consistently. The last two years, I'd sit for eight days at a time. There are guys who can do that. I was just such a young player that I hadn't found myself and my swing yet. When I play every day or play consistently, my numbers are there at the end."

-Jonny Gomes, Cincinnati outfielder, who will be competing for a job in the Reds' outfield in 2009, on the importance of consistent playing time.
(Cincinnati Enquirer)

"I like guys who put the ball in play and don't strike out a lot, guys who hit balls all over the field, have some power and are not fazed by the [pressure situations]."

--Jason Schmidt, Dodgers pitcher, who missed the entire 2008 season, on how he felt after throwing a scoreless inning in an intrasquad game.
(Los Angeles Times)

"You better keep this pitcher on the plate. He hasn't earned anything yet."

-Dave Roberts, Giants outfielder, to the home-plate umpire as he got set to face Randy Johnson in an intrasquad game.
(San Francisco Chronicle)

"I look forward to playing every day and performing every day. I don't want to predict numbers, but the fact that I'm healthy is important and a good feeling."

-Vladimir Guerrero on his offseason surgery to clean up cartilage damage in his right knee.
(Los Angeles Daily News)

"He is a great sounding board. Any compliments from him, you take to heart, and he told me I have an outstanding changeup and good movement on my sinker. He said I was cutting myself off when I was throwing the cutter to left-handers, but was executing it to right-handers. You generally don't usually get that kind of feedback from hitters on Day 1."

"It's kind of like a sixth starter. The only difference is that you have to be ready every day. I feel like that's something I can do. I've always been able to get loose really fast -- my arm bounces back really good."

-Phillip Humber, Minnesota pitcher, acknowledging what his role is likely to be for the 2009 Twins.
(MLB.com)